Bob McDonnell on Abortion

Supported 35 restrictive bills, even with rape & incest

Deeds noted that during 15 years as a Virginia Beach delegate, McDonnell supported 35 bills to restrict abortion and opposes the practice even in cases of rape and incest. Deeds backs abortion rights.

McDonnell said he believes that people of goodwill can find agreement on the issue. But he accused Deeds of being "outside the mainstream" in opposing bills to ban late-term abortions and to require parental consent for minors seeking abortions.

Reinstate Virginia's partial-birth abortion ban

Attorney General Bob McDonnell announced Friday the Commonwealth of Virginia will ask the full Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to review the decision of a divided panel of the court that struck down Virginia's ban on partial-birth abortion.

Speaking about the decision, McDonnell notes, "It is my belief that Virginia's partial-birth abortion ban, passed overwhelmingly by the people's elected representatives in the General Assembly, is constitutional. Given the significance of the issues at
stake, and the fact that the United States Supreme Court recently upheld a very similar federal ban on the procedure, the full court should review the ruling by the divided three-judge panel."

On May 20, a three-judge panel of the Court ruled
2-1 against the Commonwealth's partial-birth abortion ban, passed by the General Assembly in 2003. The case is titled Richmond Medical Center v. Herring.